1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of incision guide apparatuses.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A skin tumor which requires excision and primary closure usually requires an elliptical excision for effecting a closure that is free of irregularities and so-called "dog ears." The shapes of such ellipses, when made free hand, are often difficult to estimate and perform, especially for larger tumors, e.g., for those over a few millimeters in diameter. Additionally, the dimensions of both the length and width of the elliptical shaped excision, while not critical, are, nonetheless, most significant if a proper closure is to be effected.
More specifically, when a tumor has to be excised from the skin, an ellipse is made around the skin tumor so that the remaining skin defect may be closed in a straight line. If either a circular incision or an incision having one side longer than the other is made around the tumor then upon suturing the skin margins together, a bunching of the ends of the incision takes place. These bunchings are often called "dog ears." In other words, irregular or asymmetrical incisions will surely result in irregular and poor surgical closures of the skin, which, of course, leave unsightly scars.
Most doctors and even experienced surgeons have some difficulty in estimating a perfect elliptical incision, especially for skin tumors larger than 6 millimeters in diameter. If the incisions are not long enough, wide enough, or symmetrical enough, for the size of the tumor being excised, irregular and less cosmetically acceptable closure of the skin results. This problem has previously been recognized in the medical field and attempts have been made, heretofore, to minimize or alleviate the problem. In fact, applicant is aware of the following three U.S. patents which have a bearing on this problem: U.S. Pat. No. 2,932,296 granted to Sanders; U.S. Pat. No. 3,060,932 granted to Pereny et al; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,502,070 granted to Bliss. None of these patents suggest or disclose applicant's device. However, the Bliss patent is more closely associated with the problem at hand.